Broken

chapter twenty-seven

Ezra POV:

I haven't spoken to Aria since our argument. I know I should have called her even if it was just to check that she was okay, but I couldn't bring myself to. Instead, I unwisely drank myself into an oblivion that took me the entire weekend to recover from.

I drag myself out of bed, and into the kitchen for coffee to sober myself up completely, before stepping into the shower and turning the temperature gauge down until the beads of water felt like ice piercing my skin. After satisfying the painful pang of hunger with some sort of breakfast, I decide to text Aria and ask if she still wants to come to my apartment for her birthday date-night. I patiently wait for a response, but know it's unlikely it'll come.

Aria POV:

Enveloped in an excited group-hug, I realise how the past few days have completely ruined my ability to enjoy my last week as a high-school student. The first few classes are full of the same excited chatter from every one of the students, and I can tell this atmosphere won't dissipate anytime soon. It's not that I don't enjoy it, it's that I can't with my relationship currently in limbo.

"Have you planned anything for your birthday on Saturday?" Mona asks at lunch, offering me some fries from her plate.

"I'm going to the movies with my mom and Mike in the afternoon and I was supposed to have dinner with Ezra that night but..."

"Haven't you heard from him at all?" Emily asks. "That's not like Ezra, are you sure he's okay?"

I look at her. "I feel terrible for what happened, but I needed space, Em, and that didn't include checking up on him, okay?"

"Maybe you should just call him." Spencer shrugs.

"No, I can't, right now," I say, stubbornly.

"Aria..." Emily starts.

"No."

"You can't just throw away what you have over some petty argument, Aria. All couples argue, but it's not a reason to break up," Hanna says.

"I appreciate you trying to help, Han, but I need to figure this one out on my own. I can't deal with the thought he might leave, so if I give him time, he can make his own mind up without me there to pressure him."

"Ezra's not going to leave you," Spencer states adamantly, "and you know that."

Silence falls over the table for a few moments.

"I'm going to the library. I'll see you guys later," I say.

"No, Aria, I didn't mean..." Spencer says as I get up.

"No, it's not you, any of you...I just need some time to myself. I'm sorry."

As I sit down at a table between two bookshelves in the library, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket.

Are you still coming over on Saturday? I'm still cooking. We need to talk. I love you.

Emotions flood my mind at once, and a part of me knows deep down that we'll work through this like we always do. But I know it'll take work and compromise, from the both of us. I know I was just as much to blame for the situation, and I need to apologise for that. A part of me doesn't want to go, but if we're going to work through this, I need to be there.

Yes. I'll see you Saturday.

I wince at my blunt reply and quickly type another.

I love you too.

*

Spencer drives the five of us to a diner just outside of Rosewood. The place is surprisingly empty for a Friday night, but I assume with it being in the more rural part of Pennsylvania, it doesn't get much more custom than it has right now. There's low music and a darkened interior to welcome us inside; I can't say I feel very welcomed.

"I can't believe we've left high school," Hanna says, smiling.

"It feels strange to say the least," I reply.

"And we're going to be leaving this wretched town soon," Emily adds.

"We'll keep in touch though, right?" I ask.

"Of course we will. I promise to text you guys every day, no matter what," Spencer says, taking a drink of whatever is in her glass.

"While we're still sober, let's toast to Aria and her eighteenth birthday tomorrow," Hanna says, holding her glass in the air.

"Still sober? Hanna, we're not getting drunk here," Spencer warns.

"Speak for yourself." Hanna laughs.

"To Aria," they all say and we clink our glasses together.

"I'm sorry we didn't bring your gifts tonight, we wanted to give you them tomorrow," Emily apologises when our meals are served.

"You know I don't want anything from you guys, spending time with you is enough." I smile.

"We know but it's your eighteenth! We had to get you something special." Spencer replies.

"So are you and Ezra okay?" Emily asks expectantly, stealing a slice of pizza from Spencer's plate.

"We're having dinner tomorrow night but..." I inhale, "I think we're going to be fine, yeah."

After one too many round of drinks, I can't physically stomach any more alcohol and my head feels too heavy to even try, so Spencer decides that we've stayed out long enough and drops us home one by one. My house is the first stop, and I awkwardly reach over the car seats to hug each of them and thank them for the night they planned.

The porch light is the only one on in the house, and as I quietly make my way up to my room, I realise that my mom and Mike are asleep. It's past eleven so I'm not surprised.

I close my door and change into my pyjamas, climbing beneath my duvet. The photo on my desk catches my eye. It's one Ezra and I took in New York; a photo of us in front of the city buildings illuminated by what seems to be millions of lights.

Our happiness in that moment is what reminds me of how I can't let him go. I can't let him go over something as stupid as what we're fighting over.